This invention relates to ergonomic finger-held wax dispensers used for depilatory hair removal, dentistry molding, jewelry design, sculpting and other applications requiring finely controlled extrusion of molten wax.
Hand-held and finger-held extruders of molten wax are well-known tools for depilatory hair removal, dentistry molding, jewelry design and other applications. An industry has evolved for supplying a variety of wax sticks and rope for different sizes and different constituents of wax used for the different applications. None, however, provide an ergonomically tapered, finger-squeezable, easily heatable, light-weight and versatile adaptive wax pen in a manner taught by this invention. Although intended to be advantageous for many applications, a typical use is for depilatory hair removal.
Examples of most-closely related known but different devices are described in the following patent documents:
Some of the previous wax extruders have required a compressed-air source that is not readily available for home use, for traveler use or for beauty-shop use. Many have inadequately controllable roll-on extrusion. All have been either too bulky or not structured for artistic finger handling. None have had an ergonomic configuration which enhances hand control, diminishes fatigue and enables use by various-stage arthritics that are quite common. None have been easily heatable in homes, in travel, in dental care, in jewelry construction or in other applications of wax extrusion. All have fundamental differences from this invention.
Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide an ergonomic wax pen which:
does not require a compressed-air source for home and travel applications where compressed air is not readily available;
includes finger-pumping and motorized-pumping embodiments for professional, high-skill and high productivity applications;
is not too bulky for artistic finger handling;
has an ergonomic configuration which enhances finger-holding for skillful use and which diminishes fatigue;
is easily heatable in homes and in travel;
readily accepts application tips for most applications; avoids leakage drip of molten wax;
is easily cleaned and maintained;
has precisely controllable output, and
is readily transportable and storable for personal use.
This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with an ergonomic wax pen having an ergonomic case with finger-squeeze control of pressure to force out molten wax from a wax chamber through a wax-extrusion nozzle at an extrusion end to which predetermined application tips can be attached for predetermined wax applications. The ergonomic case includes a contoured taper from a major perimeter proximate the extrusion end to an oppositely disposed minor perimeter that is proximate a base end. A wax heater is positioned externally from the wax chamber which is pressurized selectively with a pressurizer. The base end can include an orthogonal base plate on which the ergonomic case can be positioned uprightly when not in use and with which the ergonomic case can be prevented from rolling when laid down. The contour of the ergonomic case can be optimized for ergonomic handling with finger-controllable size and shape of the major perimeter in structural relationship to a smaller and lighter portion of the minor perimeter. The minor-perimeter portion can be oriented upwards or supported by a user""s hand selectively when extruding wax. A heat gage and a wax-level window can be provided on the ergonomic case. The wax heater can be energized internally with electrical resistance or externally with microwave heat. The pressurizer can include a hand-squeezable ergonomic case, a pneumatic hand pump or a motorized pump.